I am going to the Lisu Autonomous town of Weixi in southwestern Shangrila country for National day. Anyone ever been before? any words of advice?

sorry to hear that

Not sure what information you need, so this is what I can think of:

- Weixi is not really that far any more as a very much improved road connects it to Dali. Travel time to Dali is now less than five hours. There is a daily morning bus around 7:30 or so from Xiaguan's Northern Busterminal. Inaccurate (there is only one bus in the morning, plus a sleeper) time-table is here:

www.yunnanexplorer.com/transport/station/dali-north/
You can also go from Kunming's Xibu, but only by sleeper-bus.
- Transport from Weixi: see the time table here: www.yunnanexplorer.com/transport/station/weixi/

- Hotel situation in Weixi has much improved. When you arrive at the bus-station walk uphill (right out of the station) until you get to a round-about. Turn left and there come about 10 hotels along the street. The best one will set you back about Y120, but most are Y 50 for a standard room.

- Things to do in Weixi? In town not very much, I am afraid. But there is a good Lisu market on Saturdays at Xiaoweixi right on the Mekong. At the same place, a bit north, comes the Xiaoweixi Catholic Church. Travelling further north takes you to Kangpu, a dirt-poor township by the river. A bit north of it comes a turnoff which takes you up the hill to Kangpu's Tibetan Temple Shouguosi. Further north the next township is Yezhi, a Lisu township (not much there, they have an old Tusi compound that has been under 'renovation' for the last five years), but a bit south of it (and now developed as a tourist site) is a pretty Lisu village built entirely from wood on a steep slope. Cannot think of the name right now, but it is something like 'Everybody happy' (I guess the Chinese came up with that name). There is basic accommodation in Yezhi (the best in the guesthouse for the Three Rivers in Parallel National Park). Then comes Cizhong church on the other side of the river, some nice guesthouses there.
- Not much transport along the river apart from very few scheduled busses. For flexibility try hiring a minibus in Weixi: outside peak holidays it should cost about Y500 to Cizhong, during peak holiday much more if you can find a vehicle.

虽然我在云南,可我未去过维西

cizhong and the hike over the pass from cizhong to gongshan is spectacular. this is a pretty good month to do it too. they can set up a guide for you at the nice guesthouse in cizhong. be prepared for a burly hike.